The present invention relates generally to a mobile retail store and an inventory system associated therewith and, more particularly, to an improved trailer configuration configured both exteriorly and interiorly for housing mobile retail equipment including a plurality of carousels for the storage of products and/or parts and an inventory system configured for managing the inventory of the mobile retail store wherein the inventory system sends requests and orders to a central inventory server over a network.
Traditionally, retail stores have been located at fixed positions as a stand-alone store, or as part of a shopping center or mall or at some other location. As such, customers have traditionally traveled to these stores to buy merchandise. On the other hand, food kiosks, trucks and other mobile retail structures for providing food services and other limited retail services have been in use for many years. These known prior art mobile structures such as the structures disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,182,795 and 7,198,313 provide a means of offering limited retail services at remote locations such as for selling clothing, fashions, accessories, sleeping devices and related furniture from a mobile store vehicle which is retrofitted to function as a mobile store with racks secured along the perimeter thereof in one embodiment, and with a mechanism for selectively presenting items to a customer in a display area in another embodiment.
Although each of the known structures is suitable for its intended use, none are completely self-contained and each must be moved off-site to monitor and restock the inventory or merchandise. Furthermore, none of the known mobile stores can be coupled together in a simple, efficient manner to provide expanded retail space to fit the needs and particular applications of the user. Still further, none of the known mobile stores include an inventory system configured for managing the inventory of the mobile store wherein the inventory system sends requests and orders to a central inventory server over a network. While many improvements have been made in the known prior art structures, there is still a need and a desire for an improved mobile retail store construction particularly useful in retailing a wide variety of different types of merchandise.
Specific advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the attached drawings and description of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.